Betrayal
by Ookami Youkai Ali
Summary: Ali and friends are back in the sequel to my original fic, Dangerous Secrets! An ancient enemy comes back from extinction to hunt our wolf demoness protagonist. Can Hiei protect her from their greatest enemy? Rated for later chapters. Chapter 6 is up!
1. Chapter 1: New Conflict

_A/N: Hello everyone, I've once again returned with a new story. I know it's been far too long, but this time the updates will be regular (weekly) as I have most of the chapters already typed up. So here's the sequel I promised to my original story, __Dangerous Secrets__. When we left there, Ali had defeated her twin sister and gained all her power. Now, we return to her story five years later (and on the fifth anniversary of its predecessor's publishing here on this site). I mention this because the characters have obviously all grown in this time and will probably seem OOC to you, but I assure you that I have kept them as much to their personalities as possible. Also in this story I have a lot of my own characters and the original Tantei are also all grown up now and moving on with lives of their own. This story is more of a fanfic based in the world rather than based on all the characters. I hope this does not discourage you from reading, and I do encourage you to read the original story before reading this one. With that said, I feel I must also issue a warning that the original story was written over 5 years ago and so the style and quality are not nearly up to par, particularly with the first few chapters. I think I will re-work the opening chapters to that once I have finished this one, or in any spare time I have. So with that, I shall commence with this story! As always, reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated. Flames will be used to fuel my flamethrower to burn up offensive comments and reviews. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 1-New Conflict**

Hushed whispers, pens scratching notes on papers, and pages of textbooks being flipped were the only sounds in the university library where a young silver-haired woman sat studying and reviewing for a physics exam she had the next day. A lanky blonde-haired young man stumbled over to join her with his own stack of text books. "Hey Ali, mind if I sit here and study with you?" he asked softly.

She smiled. "Of course you can, Yuki. Let me help you with those," she replied in a hushed tone as she stood to grab the topmost of his books. Her hair was plaited and hung over her sweatshirt-clad shoulder. Black and violet streaks ran through the braid all the way down to her lower back. Her sweatpants were dark blue and made her light-blue eyes appear silver as her hair.

"Thanks," Yuki whispered as they sat down and resumed their studies. In the five years that had passed since the final battle with Sayuri, his hair had also grown long, though he kept it even at shoulder-length. While he was still thin, he had gained back a lot of weight that he had lost as a captive to the manawydans. He was much healthier and often trained with Ali at the university gym. He looked up from his book to see what she was studying and chuckled to himself. "Physics test tomorrow?"

Ali nodded. She hated physics. "Yeah, and I just know he's going to pop some obscure question on some minute theory he never went over in lecture. I swear he's crazy."

Yuki laughed again. "You could always use your telepathy and get the answers," he smirked.

She gasped, mock-shocked. "That would be cheating! Why in the worlds would I want to cheat on a silly little exam?" The look on her face made him snort back another laugh. She growled in annoyance, a trait she exhibited more frequently since her victory over Sayuri.

He ceased his chuckling although he continued to grin at her. "I don't see why you bother staying here in the ningenkai to go to college," he said shortly after. "Everyone thinks you're some sort of super genius anyway since you maintain a 4.0 with an extensive course load and extracurricular activities. How many clubs are you in now?" She rolled her eyes and continued to glare at her physics notes and textbook, willing all the answers to fly off the page and into her head. "Although it would be a disgrace to our kind if you achieved anything less."

The two students were wolf demons, the last of their race as far as anyone knew. Wolf demons had been renowned for their intellect and numerous skills before they had been erased from the worlds. Ali sighed. "Yes, I know. But in order to stay here to continue to live and work here, I need a degree of some sort. I can't get any degrees if I don't go to college."

"So this is it then?" Yuki frowned. "You're just going to remain here in the ningenkai?"

She looked up and saw the longing in his aquamarine eyes. He missed his home and yet he didn't want to leave her on the off chance they'd never cross paths in the future and he would be alone in the worlds again. She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Yuki dear, if I return to makai I would be living my life in danger. Ever since I defeated Sayuri and gained all the power that the Legend spoke of, I've been aware that there will be others out there after me for my power. It's safer for me here. Hiei understands that too." It had been Hiei who suggested she not return to the realm of demons in the first place. He probably worried for her safety most of all, though of course he would never admit it to anyone.

Yuki nodded his understanding. He didn't mind living in ningenkai after all. It had been five years since he first moved in with his long-lost childhood friend and as long as she was well and not too far he didn't care where he was. He had enrolled in Sarayashiki junior high and attended classes with her and the rest of the gang. Now that they had all graduated, their lives had taken different paths. Yusuke and Keiko were engaged. Kuwabara had moved to Genkai's to be closer to Yukina and to train to become stronger. When Ali and Yuki decided to stay and attend the university, Hiei ventured back to makai. Every now and again he would return to check up on her and assure himself that she was fine. Only Yuki, Kurama, Koenma, and Nikkie knew of Hiei's relationship with Ali. The others had never caught on and he was just fine with that.

While they continued studying, a group had gathered outside and begun making quite a ruckus. A group of juniors had surrounded a smaller freshman and were beating him with their fists and feet. The noise was frustrating Ali as she attempted to continue studying to no avail. She startled Yuki when she jumped up and stormed outside to the rowdy group. He quickly got up and followed her, knowing she might need to be held back if she were angry enough. They couldn't afford any mishaps or accidental deaths or Koenma would have their heads.

"Hey!" she yelled at the gang of guys. "Knock it off!" They ceased their punches for a moment to look around and find the source of the demand. No one ever had the gall to tell them what to do. When they saw that it was only a sophomore, and a girl at that, they started to laugh.

A dark-haired young man sauntered over to her with an air of importance. _More like arrogance, _Ali thought to herself as she glared at the apparent ringleader. "Well, well, well. What have we here?" he sneered. He was at least a foot taller than her, but she would not be intimidated by a stupid human boy. "Looks to me like the pretty little girl here would like for us to stop beating the worm." He grabbed her chin with his calloused, battle-scarred hand. "Why should we stop? This pathetic excuse for a human being your boyfriend or something?" He let go of her and turned back to the whimpering boy. "You're so weak you need your girlfriend to fight your battles for you?"

Ali growled again. "I don't know this kid, but pummeling the life out of him is not going to solve anything. And you're all making it hard for me to study." She pushed her way past him and through the gang to help the battered boy to his feet. "You're the pathetic excuse for a human being," she snarled. "It's not right to mercilessly attack those who are weaker than you."

As she led the bruised boy away, the leader grabbed her by the arm and held her back. "You got some nerve girly. I like that. Why don't you and I go back to my room and I'll show you what a real man can do?" He smirked as his friends cheered him on.

A vein in her forehead visibly twitched and Yuki feared the worst for this hapless human who was about to face the wrath of a woman who had been living for centuries longer than he. She pushed the freshman over to Yuki. "I know I just said it's not right to mercilessly attack those who are weaker than you," she said in a low malicious tone, "but in this case I'll make an exception. If you don't release me in the next three seconds I swear you'll never have any children in your lifetime."

"Ali, just let it go!" Yuki pleaded for her soon-to-be-victim's sake.

A couple of the guys in the gang surrounding them paled when they heard her name. How many girls named Ali were at their school? Only one. Shinamori-san was an instructor at a local martial arts training center and she was unbeatable. "Be careful, Hokuto!" one of the guys yelled. "If this girl is who I think she is, you'll never win!"

"Shut up," he yelled back. "What's a scrawny chick like her going to do to me?" He turned back just in time to see her fist shooting straight for his head. The next thing he knew he was flying back into his gang of friends. "Shit," he muttered as he rubbed his jaw and stood to fight back. "Crazy bitch." He looked back to where she had been standing just seconds before only to find her missing. "Where the hell'd she go?" he fumed.

"Hokuto!" one of his comrades pointed up and he looked up only to see her flip and drive her leg down through his collarbone. He fell to the ground at the impact and cried out in pain. She stood victorious over him and sneered, content with her work.

Yuki, still supporting Hokuto's victim, came over to her. "Geez, you think you could have been a little bit nicer?" he said. His sarcasm was not lost on her and she simply shrugged. He had honestly hoped that she would have stayed true to her threat of obliterating his male organs, but figured she would settle for breaking a bone or two.

"You three," she pointed to several of Hokuto's group. "Get him down to the nurse, he's going to be needing a splint for that minor fracture." They obliged and helped their leader to his feet as they half-dragged, half-carried him to the infirmary. Ali and Yuki followed with the freshman they had rescued. He thanked them graciously before they headed back to the library.

The crowd had dispersed and the excitement had died down. No sooner had the two wolf demons sat at their table than did Botan appear. "There you two are," she said as though she'd been searching for them for hours. "Koenma needs you now. He needs to brief you on a new assignment."

Ali groaned. "But I have to study!" she protested. Botan blinked back her surprise. Surely Ali was not serious. Yuki grabbed her by the arm and dragged her with Botan's help back to Koenma's. She whined the whole way but they simply ignored her.

When they finally arrived, the rest of the gang was already waiting. She sat down in a free chair next to Yusuke while Yuki took the last seat on the end next to Hiei. _What's her problem?_ he asked Yuki telepathically.

_She's mad because she has a test tomorrow and would rather be studying._ Hiei raised an eyebrow ever so slightly and Yuki added, _You know how she gets._

He sat back in his chair. _Yeah, I know all too well._

"Everything alright over there guys?" Koenma asked when he became aware that the pair were not paying attention. Hiei straightened again in his seat and feigned attentiveness while Yuki muttered an apology for Koenma to continue. "So as I was saying..."

Ali was suddenly curious to know what they had been doing. _What was that about?_ she asked Hiei.

_Nothing,_ he replied.

_Hiei..._

_You're honestly upset that you're not studying right now? What's wrong with you?_

She would have growled except she didn't want to draw attention to herself. _Nothing's wrong except that my physics professor is psychotic and so are his tests!_ She heard his chuckle in her head. _It's not funny!_ she protested.

_No but you are,_ he replied with a smirk.

This time she didn't suppress the growl and she stood to face him. "So I'm funny am I? I'll show you funny!" He got up and ran out of the office away from her as she chased on.

Koenma sighed in frustration. "Why do I get the feeling that neither of them heard a word I just said?" The remaining Tantei looked out the empty door with slight confusion. Kurama nodded his agreement with Koenma as Yuki offered to go retrieve the delinquents.

Meanwhile, Ali had chased Hiei to the forest and finally tackled him to the ground. "You big jerk!" she said while sitting triumphantly on top of him. "You disappear on a two-week mission and the first thing you do when you get back is make fun of me. Well glad to see you too!" She folded her arms across her chest and pouted.

He chuckled and flipped her off of him, pinning her to the ground by her wrists. "Silly puppy," he said with a smirk, "you fell for that again."

She growled playfully and used the same move to pin him under her. "Yeah well so did you! And I'm not a puppy!" she protested.

He wrestled an arm free and wrapped it tightly about her waist to pull her in for a kiss. "No, you most certainly are not," he replied with a sly grin. She relaxed and rested her head on his chest for a moment. She had missed him in the two weeks that had passed and didn't want to waste any second she had with him.

When Yuki found them, she was sitting in Hiei's lap braiding her hair. Both wore smiles as they sat in the light of the moon but he was frustrated that they had gone in the middle of such an important meeting. "You idiots! Were you even listening to Koenma back there?"

Ali rested her head on Hiei's shoulder as he rolled his eyes at the blonde before them. "Sorry, my attention was diverted," Ali giggled. "Koenma didn't hold my interest very well. Did he say anything important?" she asked with a tender smile.

Upon seeing the urgency in his features she sat upright to hear him say, "Hitokiri is back, and he's allied himself with wolf-hunters!"

_A/N: Well, there you have it. The exciting intro to the sequel of my original story! I hope you enjoyed it. I'm really looking forward to getting this story out to you after so long! Please review! Until next chapter! Chapter 2: Hitokiri's Return._


	2. Chapter 2: Hitokiri's Return

_A/N: Welcome back! I hope you're enjoying this so far. A little bit more history and background information about Hitokiri and wolf-hunter demons. I do owe the idea for these demons to the friend I started writing this story for back in high school. I cannot take the credit for creating them, although I do put them to much use in my story. Anyhoo, I won't delay you any more. Here's the second chapter of my sequel._

**Chapter 2: Hitokiri's Return**

Every muscle in her body tightened at his words. "What did you just say?" It simply wasn't possible. She must have heard him wrong.

"Hitokiri is still alive, and he has wolf-hunters," Yuki repeated with the same sense of urgency as before.

Ali and Hiei exchanged skeptical glances. "But how can that be?" she asked. "Hiei killed Hitokiri back when they rescued me from him years ago. And wolf-hunters have been gone for nearly two decades."

"Well let's go back to Koenma and he can explain," Yuki suggested. They stood to walk back with him and trekked in silence. Ali and Yuki were outwardly worried and Hiei was confused as to why. Who were these "wolf-hunters" and why were they so dangerous? He couldn't ask Ali because she had closed her mind to everything, including him. He thought about asking Yuki but figured he would never get a straight answer.

When they returned to Koenma's, Ali marched right over and slammed her hands down on the desk where he was sitting. "What's this about wolf-hunters and Hitokiri? They're all dead!" she shouted.

"Ali, please sit down and I'll explain," he calmly replied. Kurama took her by the arm and sat her gently between himself and Hiei. Konema took a deep breath before he began the second round of his briefing. "As we all know now, Hiei had fought Hitokiri when Ali had been captured by him over five years ago. We'd thought Hiei had killed him, but his spirit never returned here to be sent out to live for eternity elsewhere. Apparently he survived and has spent the last many years in hiding, more than likely plotting his revenge."

His eyes wandered from Ali and Yuki to Hiei. "Of course he'll be wanting you, Hiei. And as for you wolf demons, so long as he has the wolf-hunter demons on his side, you are both in very real danger."

Kuwabara and Yusuke were still relatively new to the dealings of demons and the ways of the Makai. They still did not fully understand everything about it or the creatures that inhabited it. "What are wolf-hunters?" Kuwabara asked sincerely.

"Exactly what they sound like," Koenma replied cooly, refraining from being sarcastic in the serious situation at hand. "They hunt wolves. More specifically, they hunt wolf demons."

"They use us," Ali interjected. "They were the only demons we never stood a chance against. They have the ability to control our minds and bodies. We're utterly powerless against them."

"Well they must have a weakness," Kuwabara replied confidently.

"They do," Yuki said solemnly. "But it's nothing that helps us. While they're controlling us their bodies are completely vulnerable to attack. But they have us under their control so they don't fear being attacked."

Everyone sat in silence for a few minutes. Yusuke and Kuwabara wondered how they could win against demons who were powerful enough to scare Ali. Kurama and Hiei each worried about the two wolves and pondered on all the scenarios that could play out if the enemy were to gain control over Ali. She had so much power that if they controlled her, they could use her to control the worlds. They would be forced to fight against her or die at her hands. None of these things could be allowed to happen.

Suddenly Ali jumped to her feet. "Crap, I've got to go finish studying!" She ran out of the office and back to the university to hit the books again. Meanwhile the Tantei sat with bewildered expressions.

"Did she just say..."

"She needs to study?" Kuwabara finished what Yusuke had started to say.

Yuki buried his face in his hands and began to chuckle. He couldn't bring himself to be shocked at her behavior. "That's just like her," he said as he looked back at Koenma. "Her life is in danger and all she can think about is her physics exam tomorrow." He stood up and stretched. "Well, I need to study too I suppose."

Yusuke stood now as well. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? Aren't you worried at all?"

Yuki shrugged. "Ali's not too worried. Why should I be? She might be a bit cocky, but I trust her." The others nodded in agreement and all stood to head home as well. Hiei offered to walk with Yuki and play bodyguard. Koenma agreed that it was a sensible idea and bid them all goodnight.

Kurama was the only one who hung back. Something about this whole meeting was bothering him. "Why didn't this come up before, that Hitokiri did not die then?"

Koenma sighed. "I knew someone was going to ask that question." He began shuffling through some papers on his desk. "The fact is, Kurama, that with all the demons you guys killed that day, there was so much chaos here that no one noticed." He finally found the folder he was looking for and he handed it to Kurama. "When our good friend Nikkie came today to inform me that a demon named Hitokiri was causing havoc in Makai, of course I looked into it. You'll find that his name is not in that record, meaning he must still be alive."

Kurama skimmed the list and realized that it was true. "And if he's been alive all this time he must have grown much stronger." Koenma nodded and the redhead frowned. After a few seconds he asked, "You said Nikkie told you all this?"

Again the prince nodded. "Yes, I believe she's on her way to the university now to see Ali and, of course, Yuki," he added with a chuckle. The two of them had grown close over the years and they were together whenever Nikkie was back from Makai. "It's been almost five years since they first met."

"Which means it's been five years since Sai..." Kurama could not finish the sentence, but they both knew what he had been about to say. It was the fifth year since Ali and Sayuri had fought their last major battle in which Sai had lost her life. Everyone had known it would happen, but the memory was still fresh as ever. "I'll check in on Ali later," Kurama said after a few moments of silence. "Good night Koenma, sir."

"Good night Kurama," he replied as he turned back to the pile of paperwork before him.

Meanwhile, as Hiei and Yuki were heading back to the library, the latter was suddenly tackled to the ground. Upon realizing it was no threat as they recognized their mutual dark-haired friend, Nikkie, they relaxed. Yuki embraced his lover and planted a warm kiss on her forehead. "Hello dear."

"Hey guys," she said to the pair as she helped her mate to his feet. "Heading back to the university?" she asked. They nodded affirmation. "Good," she said. "I wanted to drop by and say hi to Ali before I head back to Makai."

Yuki's shoulders slumped and he frowned sadly. "You're not sticking around this time?" he asked, a sense of longing in his voice.

She shook her head. "Uh-uh. I have to finish up a few things there. Special assignment from Koenma," she beamed. Yuki grinned and let it go. She was happy and that was all that mattered to him. They walked arm-in-arm chatting the rest of the way back while Hiei trailed several feet behind.

"Nikkie!" Ali nearly jumped for joy when her best friends came walking into the library. "Look at you! Koenma's right hand partner-in-crime." She smirked. "I'm so proud of you."

Yuki and Hiei exchanged quizzical glances. "What?"

"Oh yeah, I haven't told you," Nikkie said. "I'm Koenma's number one consultant on goings-on in Makai!"

Yuki blinked. "So you're his spy?"

She pouted and folded her arms across her chest. "Well it sounds bad when you say it that way."

Ali giggled and hugged them. "I love you guys. You're so great for each other." The young couple smiled tenderly at each other. Ali released them from her grasp and suggested they go out for the evening. "After all, you've only got the evening till you go back, right?" The dark-haired girl nodded. They parted ways as Ali headed back to her apartment.

When she returned, she changed from her sweatpants to terry-cloth shorts as she curled up on the couch with a bowl of ice cream to unwind with a book. It wasn't long before she sensed Hiei come in through her bedroom window and awaited his presence in her living room. He raised an eyebrow when he saw her nose still buried in yet another book. "What use do you have for those things anyway?" he grunted.

She smiled as she folded the corner of the page she was on and set the book down as she looked at him. "Sometimes they tell stories and legends and all kinds of crazy things. They create another world to explore and new people to meet and get to know."

He merely grunted again. "If you want another world to explore why not just go to Reikai or Makai for a little vacation? Although I wouldn't necessarily want to meet new people there..." Ali laughed, a sound rich and full of carefree elation. He didn't understand how she could be so cheerful, considering her circumstances. He joined her on the couch. "Aren't you worried about the wolf-hunters?" he asked.

His concern was not lost on her but she shrugged before relaxing and resting her head on his shoulder. "Not really," she replied calmly. "We can beat them. No one is unbeatable." She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. It always soothed her.

Hiei was not reassured, however. "By that logic, even you aren't unbeatable." He wouldn't lose her to their enemy. The thought of what might happen should they fail in their mission this time actually frightened him a bit. She was the first person to ever wholly accept him for what he was, who did not judge him for the crimes of his past. Never since he was proclaimed the Forbidden Child of the Koorimes did he feel the warmth and happiness of being loved until he had met her. It was still foreign to him, but deep down he liked it and refused to let anyone take that from him.

She never answered him and he realized she'd fallen asleep. He smiled, an action he reserved for her presence alone, as he gazed at her slumbering form. Picking her up in his arms, as he had done countless times before, he carried her to her room and gently laid her in bed. A lock of hair fell into her face as he set her down and he tenderly brushed it away. For someone whose life was in mortal danger she looked so peaceful in her sleep.

He did not want to leave her but Kurama was calling for him and sounded urgent about it. He watched her for a moment longer before exiting out her window the way he'd entered only a short while before. He was curious to what was bothering his red-headed friend and hurried to their meeting place.

When he arrived at the clearing in the woods where they had often met up in the past, the normally calm and collected kitsune stood waiting impatiently. "What took you?" he asked, the annoyance in his tone startling the fire demon somewhat.

Hiei quirked an eyebrow at him. "I had to put Ali in bed," he replied curtly. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Do you really think it's safer for her to stay in Ningenkai?" he asked, apprehension emanating from his entire being. "If they were to attack her here, she wouldn't want to fight back for fear of harming innocent humans. She has compassion for them. I worry that if she continues to live here, our enemy will seek her out here as well."

"We won't let that happen," Hiei snapped back. "It's not exactly safe in Makai either, and she'll never stay put in Reikai with Koenma." Kurama sighed and nodded. The fact that there was no positive clear solution to the situation frustrated him. "Why suddenly so upset about her living conditions anyway?" Hiei asked.

"Koenma wants to send us on a mission," Kurama replied. "A preemptive strike. Get them before they can get her." Hiei didn't respond immediately. He was contemplating the simple fact that this meant leaving her again. He was sure she would be perfectly fine, but it wouldn't keep him from worrying about her.

"Alright," he replied after a moment's silence. "I'll go back and wake her up to let her know." He turned around and headed back to her apartment.

Meanwhile Ali had been sleeping peacefully in her bed since he had placed her there. Yuki had come home some point in the time that Hiei was gone because he was passed out on the couch when the spiky-haired demon returned. Hiei moved stealthily to not waken the sleeping wolf-man on his way to Ali's room. He leaned on the sill of the window, watching her sleep. He debated waking her up or just leaving a note. Surely Koenma would tell her of the mission once she was awake anyway.

After a few minutes she stirred, rolling on to her side, facing him. "You're leaving again, aren't you," she said quietly. He was thankful he could not see her pained expression in the darkness of the room, though he felt it in her tone. He simply nodded, knowing she could sense his motions as he could hers. She didn't say anything more, though she wished to tell him to stay with her. She did not want him leaving her now, but she could not bring herself to plead him to remain. He simply was not one to stay in one place for too long, regardless of the company he kept.

"If you'd like, I'll stay here tonight," he said after a while. A small smile appeared upon her lips and she shifted in her bed for him to come lay with her. Removing his sword and his cloak, he joined her under the covers. Though as she snuggled up against him, she couldn't erase the sense of foreboding that loomed in her future.

_A/N: And there you have it, the end of chapter 2! It's been difficult keeping Hiei in character while having a mate and such. It needs to be this way for the purpose of my story, but I do hope that I haven't strayed from his original persona too much! Chapter 3: A Little Surprise will be up for you soon! _


	3. Chapter 3: A Little Surprise

_A/N: I apologise for the late posting. I was sick over the weekend and forgot to update on Sunday as I had planned and then was having computer troubles when I tried to do it last night. But all that has resolved itself and I am once again here with a new chapter, relatively right on schedule, haha. Going back through my story to re-write it has certainly been an experience. I've changed things around and have eliminated things that hold no real purpose to the progress of the story while adding things as fillers here and there where I felt they were needed. I used to think what I had written was fantastic and perfect the way it was, but going back now, several years after writing the original chapters, I'm shocked and appalled at my naivety. I'm sure even now as I write this chapter that in a few years I will probably come back and read this and think as I do looking back now. However, at this juncture I am pleased with my ability and hope that you are enjoying it as well. Anyway, I shall cease my rambling and venture forth with the next chapter, as that is what you have come to read. Without further delay,_

**Chapter 3: A Little Surprise**

The next morning Ali woke up bright and early. She had slept well despite the various bad dreams and nightmares that occurred in her slumber. However, they always turned around at the end and she wouldn't wake in a fright. Hiei had left at some point late into the night because when she woke he was not there. Quietly, as not to wake Yuki, she wandered into the kitchen to make some coffee. Shortly after, she heard Hiei come in. "You leaving soon?" she asked without looking at him as she poured herself the first fresh cup.

He nodded, watching her as she took her seat at the kitchen table, both hands wrapped around her mug. "Will you be alright?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and caustically replied, "No, there is no way I'll be able to take care of myself for a few days. I need to be overprotected." She smiled sardonically and he glared at her. He knew she could be irritable in the morning but it always happened when he least expected it. He was also unhappy that she could be more sarcastic than him and hated when she used it on him. It faded, however, and her features softened. "Of course I'll be fine, numbskull. Don't worry about it."

"But I do," he admittedly protested. "And your sarcasm is unnecessary."

She yawned and stretched one arm over her head. "You know I'm not a morning person," she said mid-yawn.

Hiei snorted. "You used to be."

She frowned. "Funny, it was only after I'd met you that mornings were hell," she shot back, her sarcasm returning again.

"What's all the yelling about?" Yuki wandered in rubbing his eyes and yawning, sleep having not completely left his body.

Ali smiled at him. "It's nothing," she said. "Want some coffee?" He grunted affirmation and shuffled over to the table as she got up to pour him a cup. Hiei silently shook his head and turned to leave. "Be careful!" Ali hollered after him. He waved a hand behind him and left her apartment for his latest mission. She smirked to herself before handing Yuki his coffee. "Sleep well?" she asked.

He nodded. "More or less, thanks," he said as he received his morning beverage. "I had a couple bad dreams but none that kept me up." He sipped his coffee and smiled. "Ahh, black, just the way I love it." He always drank it black, though occasionally he'd throw a spoonful of sugar in. Ali preferred hers with cream and sugar, but Yuki noticed that she drank hers black this morning as well. "How about you, sleep well too?"

She shrugged. "Same as you I suppose. Few dreams I could have done without, but nothing that took away from the rest I needed for that test today." She sipped her coffee in silence. He couldn't help but notice a difference in her behavior, and it wasn't just the coffee. She seemed preoccupied. Somehow he didn't believe it was their situation which was bothering her, although he was subconsciously worrying about that himself. She must have sensed his apprehension because then she said, "I think I'm going to take a break after my exam."

"Oh?" he asked. "What do you plan to do this afternoon?"

She shook her head. "No, I mean from college," she stated. "I'm going to return to Makai." Yuki's expression was one of shock and bewilderment. Just the day before she had been saying how it was safest for her in Ningenkai and how much she loved it there. Perhaps their predicament had had an effect on her after all and changed her mind, but it was still all too sudden for Yuki to grasp. "Besides," she added, "I don't really need to be here anyway. I am more intelligent than most of my professors combined. I could take all my finals right now and easily get A's on all of them. You could too, you know. We're born of a more superior race than the humans so we naturally have a higher intellect. I'm actually feeling a bit homesick, so after my exam I will return to Makai."

Yuki was too stunned to speak. He watched as she sipped her coffee in quiet reserve, looking off into the distance and contemplating her decision. She was just going to leave him there in Ningenkai? "So, are you saying goodbye?" The sadness in his eyes was unmistakable.

She looked up from her coffee and gazed tenderly at him. "Of course not. I'm saying that I'm going to take a vacation. The guys are on a mission after our enemy and it's not exactly safe here," she stated. When she realized what he was worrying about she laughed. "Oh, you didn't think I would just leave you here, did you? Why in the worlds would I do that?"

Yuki shrugged. "For plenty of reasons. I could come up with a few," he replied. Ali looked sternly at him, warning him not to provoke her. Suddenly he realized the time and jumped to his feet. "You need to get dressed immediately! You're going to be late!"

She snickered. "Immediately? Doesn't that sound a bit urgent?" she laughed as he pushed her towards her room.

"Whatever, just get ready," he demanded as he shut her door and leaned on the wall outside her room. She emerged a mere seven minutes later, a sign that she either rushed or didn't finish applying all her makeup. "That was fast," he said, impressed.

"It doesn't take me _that_ long," she said, rolling her eyes in the process of pulling her jacket on. "I can get ready quickly, if the need arises. I just choose to take my time to annoy everyone waiting for me." She smirked and he pushed her out of the apartment.

"Just go take your test, idiot," he said. She turned and stuck her tongue out at him before heading to campus. It was raining and she didn't have an umbrella but she didn't mind. The rain soothed her. She didn't notice as her feet slowed and eventually stopped altogether and she stood still, letting the rain drops fall around her.

People hurried past, sheltered from the cool drizzle by their umbrellas and raincoats. Several paused to wonder at her and contemplate offering their umbrellas to her. Suddenly she was aware of her surroundings again as she sensed the eyes of passers-by. She blushed embarrassed and continued on her way.

When she arrived at the university, she went straight to her class for her exam. She could have gone to the gym to change her clothes but she wanted to be on time for her test. Her classmates stared at her rain-soaked clothes with raised eyebrows and judgmental glances. She ignored the majority of the snide remarks that rippled through the room. Most of the students lived on campus or had used umbrellas. When the professor handed out the exams, however, all the students ceased their chatter and turned their attention to the test. "You may begin," the professor said.

Ali finished her exam within an hour and handed it to the professor before heading out to wait for Yuki in the lobby. As she stood leaning against one of the large glass windows, lost in her thoughts, Hokuto and his gang walked past. One of his cronies noticed her gazing out the window and caught his attention to point her out. He marched confidently over to her with his posse in tow. "Hey, bitch, what do you think you're doin' here today?" he yelled to her. "You got some nerve showin yer face here after last night."

She didn't look at him but continued looking out the window over her shoulder at the rain outside. "I'm not the one who got my ass kicked in front of all my friends," she replied calmly. "If anything, I should be the one scolding you for showing your face. Truthfully, I'm shocked you can even walk today."

"Why you..." He raised a fist as though to strike her, but several of his friends held him back. "Let me go, dammit! She needs to learn a lesson! No one hits me and gets away with it!"

Ali shoved her hands into her pockets and began to walk away. After a few steps she turned her head back to look at him. "You want me to learn a lesson? Fine. I'm curious to see what you could possibly have to teach me." She walked outside and he stormed after her with his gang following suit and giving him their support.

As they stood facing each other in the pouring rain, many students flocked to the windows to witness the ensuing battle. Hokuto, the toughest cut-throat gang leader in Tokyo versus Ali Shinamori, the unbeatable martial arts instructor at the local gym. The majority expected Hokuto to win, all assuming he had every advantage of age, body type, gender, and experience.

As the tension continued to build, Ali stood nonchalantly with her hands still resting in her pockets. Hokuto was irritated with her casualness toward their fight and made the first move to show her once and for all that he was the stronger fighter. He lunged with a right hook and smiled when his fist made contact with her left cheek. When she didn't even flinch, his smile faded. "Is that it?" she asked. He drew back, dumbfounded. "You're pathetic," she scoffed.

"Shut up!" he yelled as he lunged again this time with his left fist flying straight for her temple. He gasped in shock when she grabbed his fist in her hand and he yelled in pain as she applied pressure, squeezing it tight. She twisted his entire arm before she released his hand, jerking his sprained shoulder from the previous night.

"I've just broken several bones in your hand and further sprained your arm and shoulder," she stated matter-of-factly. "Just give up."

Hokuto bit his lip in anguish, attempting to distract himself from the pain that now coursed through his arm. "You wish!" He brought his leg up to kick her head but she blocked that attempt as well. She caught his leg in her arm and flipped him to land face-down in the mud. He tried to get up but failed and collapsed again.

"I hope you learned a lesson today," she said with malice. "Fighting someone with a higher level of experience and strength will get you nothing but pain." She turned to walk away.

"You dumb bitch," he said, muffled by the mud his face was buried in. "Get her!" His entire gang lunged at her, thinking they had they advantage of fifty to one. The students inside watching the spectacle all gasped in shock at the underhanded tactic the group had pulled. Yuki was just finishing his test when he noticed a commotion in the halls. He handed in his exam and went out to see what was going on. He looked outside to see all fifty guys on the ground out cold, and Ali walking back into the building, soaked to the skin once again.

He pushed his way to the front of the crowd in order to meet her. "Are you insane?" he reprimanded her. "You can't just beat up fifty-one guys and act like nothing happened!"

Ali looked back outside to the pile of unconscious bodies she'd left in the rain before turning back to him. "Why not? They asked for it. Besides, maybe now they'll mellow out and stop harassing the younger students." She headed into the building and upstairs.

Yuki chased after her. "Where are you going?" he queried.

"To the superintendent's office to ask for a leave of absence," she replied simply. "If you're coming with me to Makai you need to get permission too." They walked up to the administrative offices together. They had to wait a few moments for the super to come out of a meeting.

"Shinamori-san!" he proclaimed in elation upon seeing his university's top student. "To what do I owe the honor?"

Yuki was slightly confused at the use of honorific in her regard, but bowed respectfully with her. "Actually sensei, I was hoping I could take a leave of absence to return home for a while," Ali stated. "I have a few things I need to think about and take care of before I can go back to focusing on schoolwork." The super simply stared at her for a moment. Yuki wondered if perhaps he was angry.

"Ok," he replied after the brief pause. "You work things out and come back to us soon. We'll take care of the rest." He smiled knowingly.

Ali bowed again and thanked him. "I greatly appreciate your permission, but if I may ask one more favor? I'd like for Yuki to come with me."

The superintendent nodded. "Sure. You both have excellent GPA's and are responsible students. And after the way you took care of Hokuto's gang today, this is probably the least I can do for you." He smiled again. "Besides, you could use a vacation."

"Thank you," Ali said as she bowed one last time and turned to leave. Yuki followed her lead, though he was slightly bewildered as to what exactly had just taken place. She must have sensed his confusion because she said, "The super is an old friend of Koenma's. Naturally, he knows about us." She grinned and he felt better. "Come on, let's go home."

After locking up her apartment, they headed to Reikai to inform Koenma of their plans. He was not as receptive to the idea as the super had been. "I don't like it," he said. "You want to go to their turf?"

"Hey!" Ali shouted. "Makai does not belong to the wolf-hunters. It's my home too!! And I'm going!!" she nearly screamed the last bit and Yuki and Koenma shrank back from her enraged outburst.

"Alright! Alright!" Koenma relented. "You can go. Just, be careful. And bring Botan with you. I want her to check back in with me every few days."

Ali relaxed and grinned. "I know just the place, too," she said. Koenma called for Botan and explained the plan to her. She was agreeable and excited to be getting a vacation of sorts. While she was a little nervous to be vacationing in Makai, she felt important to be handed the mission of accompanying the two wolf demons to their home.

That evening they ventured to the land of demons, a morose place which emanated evil and danger in every direction. The threat of death hung thick in the air and they moved quickly, masking their energies so as not to be detected by their enemy. After a very brief exposure to the Makai, the air rapidly changed from a sense of impending doom to that of peace and sanctuary. They had crossed the protective invisible barrier into her piece of heaven in the middle of a demon hell.

"I never knew such beauty and life could exist in Makai," Botan said breathlessly. The decaying forest they'd been running through was suddenly very much alive and green. The sky was bright, though the sun was declining in the east. Unlike the human realm, the sun in Makai rose in the west and set in the east, whenever the sun could actually be seen.

A small pool of water rested at the bottom of a shimmering waterfall which was fed by the large stream that flowed through the center of Ali's home. The current was gentle and various species of fish and aquatic creatures, amphibious and mammalian, could be seen below the surface of the crystalline water. As they walked up the path they saw a small one-story cabin built next to the tiny river. It was quaint and homely , welcoming them in. The scent of cedar was faint, but present. Yuki was reminded of a camping lodge he'd stayed at one weekend when they'd taken a trip during their senior year of high school, although that was built on a much grander scale intended for tourist vacationers. This little cabin was meant for a small family. There were three bedrooms, one master bedroom and two smaller guest rooms, a living area furnished with a couch, coffee table, and wooden rocking chair, and a small kitchen. Everything a human would require to live comfortably.

"It's lovely," Botan exclaimed. "But how can this place exist? It's more like something you would find in Reikai or Ningenkai."

Ali smiled. "It's protected by a very powerful magic. No one can enter it unless they know of its existence."

"But how does it keep out those that are out there? What if some hapless demon wandered in?" Yuki countered.

"They can't," she said simply. "It sort of coerces them away from it. One might be heading right toward it, but suddenly they'll change course to miss it entirely. Or the enchantment will adapt and bend such that no outsiders can get in unless they are accompanied by one who lives here and is conscious of its existence."

Her companions stood in the entryway of the small cabin looking around at their surroundings, soaking up her explanation and trying to make sense of it. "Did you do all this yourself?" Botan asked, still awe-struck.

Ali shook her head. "Uh-uh. I was brought here once a long time ago. I don't really remember who made it, but I know it was a gift to me. It was my sanctuary and my place to escape to should anything bad happen." She showed them to their rooms. The hallway was opposite the main door to the house and marked the boundary between the main living area and the kitchen. On the left was Ali's room, the master bedroom with a queen size bed. Next to her room at the end of the hall was the bathroom. On the right side of the hall were the two smaller guest rooms. Each room had a full bed and a dresser. The first room had been Nikkie's so Ali gave that one to Yuki, figuring she would likely be joining them once her mission was complete. The second room had been Youko's, but it contained a vanity mirror which Ali felt suited a female's living arrangement. She knew Botan would be comfortable there for the time being.

"I'll let you guys get settled in," she said as she turned to head back up the hall to the kitchen. "In the mean time, I'm making dinner. I hope you like rice pilaf and sesame chicken!" She beamed and ran to rummage through the cupboards for the appropriate pots, pans, utensils, and ingredients.

Soon after, the ferry girl and other wolf reentered the living area where several delectable aromas permeated the air and tickled their senses. "That smells delicious!" Yuki proclaimed. He and Botan assisted her by setting the small table at the edge of the kitchen with plates and cutlery for their upcoming meal. Botan also made a fresh salad while Yuki freshened up in the bathroom.

In less than an hour, Ali was placing the entrees on the table and they were sitting down to eat. Her houseguests grinned in elation upon tasting the delectable repast and murmured their approval. She smiled as well, taking her own first bite. Unlike her companions, however, she frowned in disgust and jumped to her feet, rummaging in the cupboard for something to add to it. Her face brightened when she found a bottle of ketchup and she returned to the table and proceeded to empty half the container onto her plate. Taking another bite now that she'd amended her recipe she smiled as well, pleased with the results.

Yuki and Botan exchanged bewildered glances. "Um, Ali?" Botan stammered, "don't you hate ketchup?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ali replied as she took another heaping forkful. "It's delicious."

Yuki frowned at her. "Just last month you whined for an hour because the waitress put ketchup on your burger after you had expressly asked her not to." She shrugged sheepishly and took another bite. They did not relent in their questioning gaze. "Is everything alright with you?" he asked sincerely. "You've been acting a bit weird today, and I know it's not the wolf-hunters that are bothering you."

"Everything is fine!" Ali protested. When they continued their stern stare, she shifted uneasily in her seat. "My mood swings are bad already, aren't they..." Her friends nodded and she sighed. "Well, it's no use hiding it. And I suppose someone should know." She inhaled sharply and grinned as they waited to hear her explanation. "Guys? I'm having a baby."

_A/N: Omigosh!! Nowai!! Ahh, it's going to get very exciting in that household very quickly. Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've been getting much more descriptive in my writing and I do hope you all were able to picture many of the scenes as clearly as I see them when I write them. I decided to improvise in my description of Makai, after all this is my story and so I'll write it as I imagine it. :) You may have more questions about her home, feel free to ask, or wait patiently for them to be answered in upcoming chapters. If there are specific questions I know I haven't/won't cover I'll try to answer to the best of my ability. Next time Chapter 4: Bittersweet Sunset. Until then!_


	4. Chapter 4: Bittersweet Sunset

_A/N: Hello again, welcome back to my humble little tale. This chapter gets intense, and it's one of my longer chapters. A minor** disclaimer/warning**__: the ending may be a bit graphic. Dunno how the general public will take it so I feel like I'll forewarn you all to be safe. When I originally wrote it in my notebook, I wound up extending it to get to the point I wanted to be at. Now going back and typing it up is going to be a challenge because it's certainly going to be much better than what I wrote back in high school. Also, looking back through, it's entertaining in another sense. I used to write little notes based on what I was eating or what music I was listening to at the time. It was for my friend and for me, in case something came out super fantastic or super awful, I could look to the side and see if perhaps there was an external influence there. Some of my babblings were rather ridiculous. And now I'm babbling up here and delaying you from reading the next chapter. Ah well, here you go, enjoy!_

**Chapter 4: Bittersweet Sunset**

Ali took another bite of her ketchup-covered rice as though nothing had happened. Yuki and Botan gaped wide-eyed at her. "You're pregnant?!" they exclaimed in unison. She nodded affirmation and Botan asked, "How long have you known this?"

Ali thought it over as she munched on another mouthful. "This morning, I suppose," she said after she had swallowed. She was being so nonchalant about the whole event they wondered if she was even serious and were unsure how to respond.

Botan was certainly curious. "How did you find out?"

Ali shrugged. "I just knew. Woman's intuition!" She grinned and winked as she replied. Her friends laughed with her as she giggled. "It was also somewhat instinctive," she continued. "I knew I had to get back to Makai."

"Do you have any idea what the baby will look like?" Yuki wondered aloud.

Ali smirked. "Hopefully he _won't_ have Hiei's hair!" Yuki and Botan both blinked in surprise. Upon thinking it over, it really wasn't that surprising to hear that the child was Hiei's. "Did you know it doesn't do that on its own?" she asked. "He uses loads of hair gel!"

"No!" Botan exclaimed, utterly shocked.

Ali tried to keep a straight face, but failed and burst into laughter. "You should see the look on your face!" she howled. "I'm only joking," she said calmly after a few moments. "I joke with him about it all the time. You should ask him to borrow his gel!" she jested. "I'd like to see how he reacts!"

Yuki laughed nervously. "I'm quite sure he would kill anyone but you if they asked him that."

Ali relented. "Yeah, you're probably right." She didn't stop smiling for the rest of the meal. When they were finished clearing up Ali stated she was going for a walk. "I won't be gone long," she said. "Just wanna check on some things here." They waved her off as she walked out the front door.

She walked along the small river down to the pool at the base of the waterfall. As she walked she wondered how Hiei would take the news. She never intended to drag him into fatherhood and she worried he might leave her. She had returned to Makai, mainly to have the baby, but also to have it by herself. As a wolf demon she needed to prove to herself that she was strong enough to go through childbirth on her own. She honestly did not want him there.

As she sat thinking, the leaves rustled in the light breeze. She remained quiet, but she could sense something was near. She tensed her muscles, preparing herself. "Gotcha!" Nikkie yelled as she dove from the forest at Ali. The wolf easily dodged her short dark-haired friend and watched as she fell into the pond. She swam to the surface and glared at Ali. "Damn, I still can't get you," she said as she climbed out.

Ali laughed. "Nope, of course not. I'm too quick!" she stated proudly, hands on her hips in a dramatic power pose. Nikkie growled playfully and shoved her friend into the lake. Ali came up sputtering. "That was uncalled for!" she pouted. "Especially for someone in my condition!"

"Oh?" Nikkie queried with eyebrow raised. "And just what condition is that?"

Ali grinned and shouted happily, "I'm having a baby!" Nikkie screamed in excitement and jumped back in the water to congratulate her friend with a hug.

"I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed. "When's the baby due?"

"Three months," Ali replied. "Wolf demons have a shorter pregnancy than humans."

Nikkie rolled her eyes. "Well duh! Humans are so fragile. It takes them much longer to develop." She squealed and hugged Ali again. "Ahh, I'm just so excited! I know you'll make a great mother!"

Ali suppressed a blush. "Thanks," she said. "You will too, someday."

Nikkie grunted in disgust. "As if. I won't be having any kids for a looong time." Ali smiled at her friend. She knew Nikkie well enough to know that she wouldn't mind having a child to look after. Nikkie was just worried she wouldn't be a good mother. They climbed out of the water and headed back. Ali rested her arm on her friend's shoulder as they walked home.

They talked most of the way about the baby, the weather, Nikkie's work for Koenma, and whatever else popped into their heads. When they could see the cabin, Ali remembered her guests and gasped in surprise. "Oh dear, I forgot to tell you. Botan and Yuki are staying with me and took your room and Youko's."

Nikkie shrugged. "That's no problem. So I have to share a room, no big deal."

"Then you really don't mind?" Ali asked worriedly.

Nikkie gave her a questioning glance but then smiled. "Of course not, silly. Why should I care? It's your house." She walked on in and Ali followed, smiling again herself.

Yuki jumped up from the chair he was in and happily embraced his lover. She claimed she was hungry and so he served her a plate of the meal Ali had prepared for them earlier, sans ketchup. They chatted as she ate and Ali headed to her room to relax for a bit.

The walls were a light blue and there was a silver border all along the top and bottom. She sat down on her bed which had a black bedspread with white wolves on it. She was tired from the day's events and lay down to rest her eyes. She didn't intend to fall asleep, but she hardly fought it as she drifted off.

* * *

"Dammit, these guys are impossible to track!" Yusuke fumed. "It's been four days since we started and we've still got nothin, no leads whatsoever."

"Cool it, Urameshi," Kuwabara calmly stated. "There's no use getting worked up about it and wasting your energy."

"The big fool is right," Hiei said. "If these demons are powerful enough to frighten Ali, we will need to conserve our energy." They continued their search for a lead on the wolf-hunters' whereabouts or some clue to their weakness. They needed something, anything, on their new enemy.

_How are you doing?_ Kurama thought to Hiei.

He looked somewhat questioningly at his red-haired friend before responding. _I'm fine. Why?_

_No, I was referring to having to leave Ali unprotected in Makai._ Naturally, Koenma had informed them of the change in her living arrangements, and Kurama was just as worried as the Reikai prince.

Hiei was silent for a moment. _She's a strong woman,_ he stated simply. _She can take care of herself. If she couldn't, I wouldn't waste my time with her. She's not worried, so we don't need to be._

Kurama still wasn't convinced. _Maybe we should be..._

_

* * *

_The next few weeks passed by rather quickly. In preparation of the birth of her baby, Ali had reverted to her true form. The young demoness had waist-length silver hair, streaked black and purple, white-tipped silver ears and tail, and her eyes were now a shining amber gold. Botan and Nikkie had prepared a room for her, in addition to the extra rooms they had added. Kurama needed a room now that he had returned, and they added a few more guest bedrooms.

When he found out about Ali's pregnancy, he was angry, worried, and happy for her all at once. However, he was rather exasperated as Hiei was not around. "He just left on an urgent mission, too!" he sighed.

Ali put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's ok, really," she said. "I don't want him here, not yet. I told Koenma to keep him at bay with more missions at least until the baby is here." Kurama hugged her gently and assured himself she knew what she was doing.

Before they knew it, the three months had passed and Ali's pup was due. She shut herself in the room they had prepared for her early one afternoon at the end of June. Kurama and Yuki paced in the hall as though they were the expectant fathers. Nikki and Botan occasionally checked on her to make sure everything was alright.

By the time the sun set, they heard a loud howl followed by a meek whimper. They rushed into the room to see that everything had gone well. The sight that greeted them was Ali, visibly fatigued, but immensely pleased with herself, holding her baby and smiling down at him. The tiny babe was a beautiful boy with black hair, a silver tail, and silver ears, though Ali had returned to her human appearance. Botan and Nikkie ran to the bedside to hug her. Yuki kissed her cheek and took the baby to give it to Botan so that she could clean him up.

Kurama hugged her tightly and planted a kiss to her forehead. "I'm proud of you, Ali," he said quietly. "You're all grown up now. Where's that snot-nosed brat who I always teased and tormented?"

She smiled weakly. "She hasn't gone anywhere," she replied. "But now you have a new snot-nosed brat to play with." Kurama smiled caringly at her as Botan brought the young pup back to his mother to be fed.

* * *

Hiei returned to Koenma's a few days after Ali had her baby. He was still completely unaware of the situation. Koenma informed him that most everyone had moved to Ali's sanctuary in Makai. "I know you haven't seen her in three months," he said. "You'd be surprised at how much she's changed."

Hiei left quickly and headed toward the place Ali called "home." He'd been there once before, when they were searching for Sayuri. It was like a piece of Ningenkai fell into Makai. He didn't know how it thrived, but he knew it felt safe. He remembered what she'd said to him that day. _The only way to find it is if you already know where it is._ "Hn, well it shouldn't be too hard," he said to himself aloud. "Good thing I remember where she took me."

He was anxious to get there and see her. How much could one person change in a span of three months? He ran into Kurama almost as soon as he'd set foot into Ali's sanctuary. His friend did not appear pleased to see him. "What's your problem?" he asked.

Kurama softly glared at him. "You really have no idea, do you?" he said. "You're gone for nearly three months, without a word to her, and now, here you are. Do you have any idea what you put her through?" he calmly stated.

Hiei suddenly became more worried. "What's wrong with her? Is she hurt?!" His tone held anger and demanded an answer.

Kurama lightened up and smiled. "No," he replied. "She's perfectly fine. But you should go to her. She has a surprise for you."

"I hate surprises," Hiei muttered as he rushed off to find her. He contemplated what she could possibly have for him, but he came to no realistic conclusions. He found her sitting along the river, not far from the house, with her feet dipped in soaking in the water. He smiled to himself as she sat kicking them like a little child. "Ali," he said with a sigh.

She turned around and smiled when she saw him. She swung her feet out of the water and jumped to throw her arms around him, crying tears of joy upon his return. He wrapped her in a tight embrace and inhaled her scent. He'd been gone from it far too long. He kissed her forehead and heard her say, "I've missed you."

He smiled for her. "I missed you too." He broke from her arms and added, "Kurama said you have a surprise for me? You know I don't like surprises."

Her smile faded briefly, and he tried to discern what could have caused it. However, it lasted only briefly and she smiled up at him again. "Yes, I do." She took his hand and led him into the house. When she arrived at her room, she released him and walked over to the bed. She bent down to pick up a small bundle and walked back over to him. "Hiei, say hello to your son."

She revealed the tiny wolf pup and smiled down at the little child she had borne. Hiei reached awkwardly for the babe and Ali gave it to him. As she watched her mate gaze upon their baby in wonder, she knew everything would be ok. "Did you name him?" he asked.

Ali nodded. "I liked the name Mitsuru."

"Mitsuru," Hiei repeated quietly. He smiled. "You have a very beautiful mother, you know that?" Ali kissed his cheek and retrieved her child from his arms. She sat down on the bed to feed him and Hiei sat next to her, fascinated with the whole ordeal. He was overcome with emotions he'd never experienced before, a situation he was becoming more and more acquainted with when he was near her. He realized that for the first time in his life, he had a family he could call his own. He had his own to love and protect. He kissed her forehead and smiled at her, happy for the first time he could remember.

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, Ali and Hiei were quietly talking to each other in her bed. Although he would have preferred a tree, he was glad to have her beside him. As he held her close to him, he asked her something that had been bothering him. "Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant?"

He felt her shrug. "I have my reasons," she stated. "Wolf demons generally have their pups away from the pack." She fell silent again as she twirled a finger through a snarl in her hair. "Plus, I was afraid to tell you. I kept berating myself and thinking that we never should have fooled around that evening we ran from Koenma's to get out of that meeting. Then you had to leave again."

He smirked. "Well it's not like that was the first time." She elbowed him gently in the ribs and mock-glared at him. He knew her charade wouldn't last long and sure enough it faded as her features broke into a smile. He chuckled and hugged her tightly. "You never can stay mad at me." He grinned.

Ali rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "Shut up." He laughed and held her close as she fell asleep. It wasn't long before he, too, joined her in blissful slumber.

* * *

Elsewhere in the makai, in a barren, rocky landscape, a fearsome demon stood alone. A statue as the centerpiece for the desolate region, sporadic flashes of lightning overhead illuminated only the cloak which concealed his face from the world. Out of the shadows, a small disfigured demon of inconsequential rank crawled toward the one who had been patiently awaiting its arrival. "For your sake," the superior demon began in a low tone, "I hope you have the information I asked for."

The minion bowed down at his feet, a fairly difficult task for its crippled body. "Yesss Master," it spoke in a hiss. "I bring good newsss. The demonesss, she has a sssmall child, new born jussst the other day."

Its master remained silent for a moment. Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and was soon followed by a low rumble. The rumble was not of thunder, however. The powerful demon's body trembled as his low laughter progressed in pitch and grew into a loud cackle. In the flashes of lightning that occurred during the moments he laughed, a maniacal grin could be seen on his face, the light illuminating the deadly fangs in his mouth. "Excellent," he sneered as he regained his composure. "We know of her weakness now, and we will destroy her life because of it!" He chuckled again as the lowly demon made its exit to do more of his bidding.

* * *

Ali awoke in a cold sweat early the next morning. She quickly threw herself from her bed and rushed to the crib where her baby lay sleeping peacefully. Heaving a sigh of relief, she walked gingerly to their bathroom and ran cold water through the sink. As she splashed the cool water on her face to clear her head, Hiei woke up and noticed her absence next to him.

Upon hearing the water running in the bathroom, he slipped out of bed and went to see what was bothering her. "Everything alright?" he asked, mildly groggy. "You're up kinda early."

The sun was just beginning to rise in the west. "I'm fine," she claimed as she turned off the faucet. "Just had a bad dream is all." She moved past him back into the bedroom where she proceeded to make the bed. Hiei was attune to her nuances and was aware of the agitation in the manner with which she folded down the sheets and the bedspread. She then went to her dresser, grabbed the brush she kept on the top, and commenced combing her hair. He could still see the fear of her dream reflected in her eyes and wondered why she refused to explain to him what was bothering her about it. He knew better than to question her or prod her about things she did not wish for him to know. "I'm going to make some breakfast," she said as she set the brush back down, finished with her grooming. He did not miss the distraction in her tone. "Would you like anything?" she asked.

Hiei shook his head. "No thanks." She nodded affirmation and gracefully sauntered out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen. He wandered over to the crib for a brief moment to look at his son before he replaced his cloak to his shoulders and his sword to its holster on his waist. He went to his mate and hugged her from behind. "I'm going out for a bit," he said as he kissed her cheek. He realized there was nothing he could do when she was in one of these moods so he decided to simply go on as he normally did.

Ali smiled knowingly. "Alright, come back soon, ok?" He nodded and then disappeared through the front window without another word. She finished making her meal and set herself a place at the table to sit and enjoy it. While she ate her scrambled eggs, with the terror of her nightmare fading, Yuki emerged from the room he shared with Nikkie. "Good morning," Ali greeted him warmly.

"Hey Ali," he replied rather sleepily. "How's the little one?"

She smiled. "Mitsuru is a wonderful pup," she said as he fixed himself a plate and joined her at the table. "He hardly ever cries and he sleeps during the night, which is a huge relief," she added.

Yuki nodded approval. He took another bite and asked "What's Hiei up to?"

She shrugged. "Whatever he wants to," she said calmly. "He left and so I let him. Hiei's not the type to stick around where it's crowded. And if you haven't noticed, there are quite a few people here."

"True," he replied. "And Yusuke and Keiko are coming to visit." Ali nodded. The young couple were still unaware of the new addition to the Shinamori household, but had planned to see their friends to give them news and updates about their wedding plans. "Do you think it's a good idea to bring humans to makai?" Yuki asked in concern for their mutual friends.

"They're both very strong, they'll be fine," she replied. "Besides, they've got us to protect them." She got to her feet to bring their dishes to the sink and poured herself a cup of coffee. Yuki wasn't entirely assured. Things were different now. They had a new enemy to worry about, even though they hadn't heard much news of him since the first briefing nearly four months before.

That afternoon, Yusuke and Keiko were escorted to makai by Yuki, Botan, and Kurama. When they arrived at Ali's home they were each greeted with a warm smile and loving embrace from their beloved friend. She introduced them to her offspring and both were extremely happy for and proud of her.

"Hiei is the father of your gorgeous child?!" Keiko exclaimed in shock upon hearing this information while playing with the little one. To her, this was unexpected. She had always suspected Ali was with Kurama. When she voiced her thoughts, Kurama nearly choked on the apple he was enjoying.

Ali simply laughed heartily. "That's a good one," she chuckled. "Well, in a sense, we are together," she added. "We watch out for one another. We're family!" She smiled and said "We're all family!" They laughed together and agreed whole heartedly. Soon after, they went to help Yusuke and Keiko get settled in.

Picking up her baby, Ali walked out of the house to the fresh outdoor air for a short walk. As her feet carried her along the river, she was lost in the numerous thoughts flowing through her mind. They drifted from Hiei to the baby, from her friends to her long-deceased twin sister, to whatever else popped into her head. She wanted to show her son the world, but she did not realize how far she had walked.

Without warning, something clicked in her head that she was in danger. She stopped suddenly and glanced nervously about. _How did I get here?_ she worriedly thought. She had left her sanctuary, the safest and most pleasant location in all of makai, and had entered the true land of demons. The surrounding land was rocky and barren and reeked of freshly spilled blood. She could almost feel the earth decaying beneath her feet.

Lightning flashed overhead and all the muscles in her body instinctively tightened. She intuitively knew that something very bad was about to occur in this place and every nerve in her screamed to get out before she could find out just what that something was. She heard a deep maniacal laughter and whipped around to see the legion of demons and their master that had so easily surrounded her. "Hello again, dear wolf demoness," he sneered.

Ali clutched Mitsuru tightly against her body as she quietly uttered the vile demon's name, "Hitokiri…" The babe cried out, in part displeased at being held so tightly but more so due to its own instinct making it aware of its mother's distress and the evil that was so thickly present. Trembling, Ali attempted to make her escape, but found herself unable to move.

"Yes, cower in fear before me," Hitokiri said, immensely amused by his victim's plight. "Your pathetic mate was not strong enough to kill me nearly six years ago and now he's not even here to save you." He smirked menacingly. "Or that child in your arms." Ali cried out in fear and anger as something suddenly snatched her baby from her arms. She immediately tried to attack it but realized she was still unable to move. The wolf-hunter demons Hitokiri had hired were doing their job of controlling her body. She could only watch in terror as he held her crying child, realizing too late that it must have been them manipulating her out of her home in the first place.

"It's a shame really," the devil-man stated. "A child of yours could have so much potential. So much power, even as a half-breed. I didn't really understand your choice of mate, but seeing the spawn the two of you created I suppose it makes sense."

"Leave my son out of this!" Ali cried in vain.

"Really, a fire-wolf demon crossbreed could be something to contend with," he continued, ignoring her except to bare his fangs at her in a malicious grin while he inspected the child in his hands. "Bit of a crier though."

Mitsuru howled in fear and at being separated from his mother. Each cry pierced Ali's whole being and tears began pouring down her cheeks as well. "Please, don't!"

Hitokiri shrugged. "Oh well. That can be fixed." He held the pup high by its neck, causing the little one to cry even more.

"NO!" his mother screamed too late. The bastard flicked his wrist, snapping the neck of the child in his hands and ceasing the crying instantly.

Ali watched in horror as her son's limp body was dropped to the ground. Hitokiri laughed again, evidently pleased with her reaction. He disappeared for a split second and reappeared directly in front of her. He stood at least a foot taller than her, and she might have been more intimidated if not for the shock of the event she had just witnessed. "Don't worry, you'll see him again soon enough," he whispered in her ear before he grabbed her chin with one hand and forcibly kissed her as he drove a dagger through her stomach with the other and twisted the blade before removing it and dropping it to the ground. "Goodbye, Ali," he said as he withdrew his lips from hers and disappeared into the shadows with his legion of demons following in kind. As she fell to the ground, eyes fixed on the still form of her firstborn, she let out a howl of pain. The pain from the knife wound pouring life out of her was nothing compared to the pain of losing her child and she soon blacked out from both.

_A/N: What an asshole! This was such a difficult chapter to write. Partially because it was so long and partially because of the content. Poor little Mitsuru! He never even got a chance to live! Unfortunately it was necessary for the continuation of the story. But do not fret, he will be avenged! You think his parents and their friends will stand for this? I think not. Stay tuned, our story continues to unfold in the next chapter: Ali's Grief._


	5. Chapter 5: Ali's Grief

_A/N: Welcome back to my humble tale! I know you're all anxious to get on with it and find out what happens to our heroin so I will be brief. The next couple chapters are shorter than the previous few and are more or less fillers to get us where we need to be to advance in the plot. So without further delay, I give you the fifth chapter of my sequel:_

**Chapter 5: Ali's Grief**

Hiei was relaxing from a lofty perch in a tree that overlooked the small lake which was the focal point of the whole sanctuary when suddenly the wind picked up, carrying with it the scent of fresh blood. He did not need to hear the piercing howl of his lover to know she was in terrible pain and that it was her blood that had been spilled. With urgency, fearful of her predicament and unfamiliar with the emotion, he sprinted to where the smell and cry had originated. He picked up, too, a trace of a familiar but unwelcome scent in the air, but disregarded it for the time being as he was preoccupied with his mate's distress. "Ali!" he yelled her name as he reached the barren landscape where she had been attacked. His eyes darted frantically around the scene and they rested on her body for a split second before he was at her side. "Ali, who did this to you?" he asked, though he knew the answer before he had even asked.

She clutched his cloak in her hand and, gasping for breath, choked out, "Hi…to…kiri." The dagger that had been the tool for her mortal wound lay on the ground in front of her, still hot with her blood.

"He'll pay for this," Hiei said as he gently picked her up in his arms.

"No," she whispered and tightened her grip on him. "My ba…by."

He didn't understand. "I'm sure Mitsuru is fine," he tried to reassure her. It was becoming difficult to assure himself that she would be. Her lips were stained red with the blood she had been choking up. Time was of the essence. "I need to get you home immediately!" His tone was urgent but she shook her head and tears wet her cheeks as she raised a trembling arm to point to the tiny lump a few meters away. Hiei carried her over to it and stood over his child's immobile body as he held its dying mother in his arms. "Damn him…" he muttered as he knelt down and picked up Mitsuru's still form. Ali clutched the dead babe to her chest and passed out from her own wounds. _That bastard will pay!_

In minutes he had returned them to her sanctuary and burst into the house. "Neko!" he yelled as he entered. Botan looked up from her hand of cards, fully prepared to scold him for not calling her by her name, but immediately halted her rebuke when she saw the newly deceased babe and Ali dying in Hiei's arms. "Help her, NOW!"

Botan nodded and leapt to her feet as she began issuing orders to prepare a bed, get her supplies, put water on the stove, and for heaven's sake to stay out of her way. He would never admit it to anyone but he actually reserved some respect and admiration for the ferry girl and though he was concerned, he was confident she would do what was needed. After all, he was entrusting her with the life of his mate.

"What happened? Who did this to her?" Kurama demanded. "And what of Mitsuru?"

Hiei was not in a talking mood. His primary concern was Ali's life. He could sort out the details later. But Kurama persisted relentlessly so Hiei had no choice but to explain what little he knew. "It seems our enemy has made his first attack and effectively weakened our offensive. He nearly succeeded in killing Ali and took her child's life as well."

"It doesn't make sense," Kurama mused. "Why kill her? She has untold power. If she dies, that power is gone forever."

Hiei shrugged. "We all have questions. What I don't understand is what purpose he served in killing a helpless child. What would he stand to gain by that?"

Kurama mimicked the gesture. "He probably didn't count on you showing up in time to bring her back for Botan to heal her. Killing her alone would not have been enough. Her child would likely have grown with much power, a brilliant combination of her powers and yours. Had she perished and he survived, he could have exacted revenge once he was old enough and stronger."

The fire demon nodded in agreement. Kurama's argument made sense and Hiei hated himself for putting Ali through it. He was not upset about his son's murder as he was angry with himself for causing her to suffer. After an eternity of waiting, Botan emerged from the room and closed the door softly behind her. "How is she?" Hiei inquired immediately.

The grim reaper was taken aback briefly upon hearing Hiei openly express his concern. "Well, she'll live," she replied after collecting herself, "but it's going to take her a while to recover from the excessive blood loss. What I'm more worried about," she added as she looked over her shoulder at the door she had just come through, "is how she will recover from the emotional pain of losing her first child." She fell silent for a moment and her eyes welled up with sadness of her own. "I just don't understand how anyone can be so cruel, even a demon."

Kurama placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You know that most demons don't care about who they kill or why, just so long as they can prove they are the best," he said softly.

Hiei slipped passed them and into the room to check on his lover. She was very pale but she was sleeping and appeared peaceful despite the circumstances. He slouched in the chair next to her bed, resting his elbows on his knees and briefly running a hand through his hair. He watched her sleep for a while.

Just as he was about to nod off too, she stirred and woke up. He was at her side in an instant and she smiled weakly. Taking his hand for comfort, she said, "I'll be alright," in a reassuring whisper. She moved to sit up but he halted her and insisted she stay put.

"Stupid, don't move too much," he said. "You're still too weak. You'll just end up collapsing again." She could see his concern in his eyes despite his commanding tone.

"Hiei, what's wrong?" she asked as she propped herself up on one elbow. She was certain she could see tears forming and had never known him to cry. The look of concern on her face was so genuine and sweet he couldn't help himself. He laughed and wiped the tear from his eye before it could travel down his cheek and invite more to do the same.

He pulled her close to him in a warm embrace. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried, if ever. He just knew that the woman in his arms elicited new emotions in him every day and he was terrified at the thought of losing her. It was the only thing he was afraid of. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This is all my fault. I should have been there."

Ali shifted to look at him again. "No, don't blame yourself," she said. "In fact, I don't blame anyone but myself. I was the one who walked all the way out there with Mitsuru and so I alone am the one to bear the guilt." She didn't admit to her theory of being manipulated out by the wolf hunters, although she was fairly certain of their involvement.

He tightened his embrace, gently so as not to put too much strain on her wound, and kissed her forehead. "Don't beat yourself up too much over it," he said. "Last thing we need is to be arguing about who is to blame and distracting us from making the real villain pay." She nodded in agreement and smiled sweetly for him. He lifted her carefully and carried her out to the top of her waterfall where she fell asleep in his arms as he watched the sun set.

* * *

"So she survived?" Hitokiri inquired of the lowly minion who had brought him this message. He laughed a low, menacing chuckle. "Good. It would have been a shame if she had succumbed to such a trivial injury." Momentarily he snarled. "Unfortunately that means he came for her." He paced in the office of his new stronghold. "We'll just have to erase him from existence." He sat down and waved off the messenger as he contemplated how to go about the situation. After a while his face lit up with a maniacal grin and he chuckled at his brilliant thought. "I'll just use him to my advantage. Oh, the demoness _will_ be mine." He laughed again as he began making preparations for the next phase of his demonic scheme.

* * *

Hiei awoke to find himself resting by the lake with Ali sleeping peacefully in his arms. The crescent moon shone brightly in the starry sky above and a light breeze rustled through the leaves and played with his hair. Ali unconsciously shivered from the cool air washing over her and Hiei wrapped his cloak around her. As he sat in the peaceful bliss, holding his lover close to him, he pondered what had woken him. He had been dreaming of Ali when his dream was invaded by her long-dead twin and the enemy she had just recently encountered.

_~DREAM SEQUENCE~_

_Hiei was walking alone through a dense forest not unlike the one Yusuke and Kurama had first discovered their resident legendary wolf demon all those years ago. He had been following the sound of her voice, hoping it would lead him to her, when suddenly the forest and everything surrounding him disappeared, leaving nothing but darkness._

_The only light was shining down on him and he could see nothing else. Soon another beam of light appeared, revealing the one he was pursuing. He called her name but found his voice would not allow him the privilege. As he looked harder, he noticed there was not one, but two of her standing opposite him. He knew almost instantly that Sayuri was there with her._

_Sensing him finally, the two wolf-women turned to look at him. They were identical with the exception of eye color and hair length. Even the white gowns they wore were the same. They joined hands, as sisters will sometimes do, and began to walk away from him._

_Again he tried to call out to them, but again his voice was caught in his throat. They stopped, as though sensing his attempt to cry out. This time when they turned and looked back at him, he realized they were not really seeing him. Their eyes were glassed over and emotionless._

_A sudden gust of wind came out the darkness behind him and he watched them close their eyes as the rush of air hit them and sent their hair flying back. A low rumble of laughter emanated from the darkness above them and Hiei looked up to see Hitokiri, a phantom five times larger than life, mocking him and engulfing the sisters in a shroud of darkness that connected to his own ghostly figure. Hiei tried to run after him as he faded into the black but the unseen ground beneath him gave way and he fell into the dark abyss._

_~END~_

Hiei shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. He rarely had such vivid dreams and had not dreamt of Sayuri in many years. _What is wrong with me?_ he wondered. _Why am I dreaming of Sai now?_ He looked down at Ali's face and thought back to his dream. Their faces were still fresh in his mind and it still kind of freaked him out just how much they looked alike. He gazed out over the lake, trying to sort out his thoughts and search for some meaning in his dream. He was having no luck with it by the time Ali stirred in his arms and he decided to carry her back home. Once they were both settled in bed, he fell asleep again and slept dreamlessly through the rest of the night.

_A/N: Short, sweet, to the point. Not that there really was a huge point, haha. This chapter was mildly difficult to write because I want to keep Hiei as much in character as I can but he's softened a little in regards to Ali so that needs to be reflected as well. I hope it was satisfactory for you folks! Well that's all I have for you for this time. This chapter and the next one I toy around with these styles of story telling through dreams and flashbacks. The next chapter is another sort of filler chapter but has some important developments. Then after that we get right back into the plot with some shocking explanations! Next time, Chapter 6: Haunting Visions._


	6. Chapter 6: Haunting Visions

_A/N: And I'm finally back with another chapter! I've also finally finished the climactic chapter in this tale. Now I can work on getting all the chapters typed up before I start posting again, and seeing as how I am almost finished with this story, that may be sooner than I think. The next couple chapters are already typed up but I've delayed in posting them until I get a few more done. Well I won't delay you any further with this one. You don't come to read my babblings, you come to read my story! So away we go!_

**Chapter 6: Haunting Visions**

Ali's mind was fairly restless through the night, although she showed no physical signs of fatigue the next morning. She had several of her own haunting dreams, including one very similar to the one that had awoken Hiei during the night. She, too, had dreamt of her sister and enemy, but her dreams played out more like a memory than a cryptic vision of impending evil. She was not doubtful that her dreams could, in fact, have been repressed memories that she had banished from her mind years ago. They felt far too familiar to simply be creations of her imagination and she was reminded of emotions she felt when she had first been reminded of Sayuri's existence. The sensation from her dreams was almost identical to that which she felt as those memories had come back to her in Koenma's office.

_~DREAM/FLASHBACK SEQUENCE~_

"_You should have known better than to steal from a demon so far superior to yourself," the silver haired wolf snarled at the cowering thief before her. He was class C, and barely so. He clutched the precious gem closer to his chest as his knees trembled, unable to run away from the powerful demon that stood towering over him. "I'll be taking back that necklace which belongs to me," Ali growled. Her meek victim took a very brave step back, refusing to give up the heirloom. This action succeeded in angering the legendary demoness even more and she growled deep in her throat again. "Fine, I'll just take it from you." In a flash, she had drawn her sword and the unfortunate demon fell to the ground in two pieces._

_As she bent down to retrieve the amulet she had recovered, another wolf demon slinked gracefully out of the shadows. She looked almost the same as the other; the only exception was the color of her hair and fur. "Why do you trifle which such incompetent beings?" her dark-haired twin asked of her. "Just for some jewel?"_

_Ali stood and glowered at the demon woman opposite her. "You wouldn't understand my motives," she replied coolly, "just as I don't understand yours. So why don't you just leave me to my business and we won't have to interact much."_

_She turned to leave but Sayuri stopped her with a loaded query. "If you don't wish to kill me, then why do you follow me?" Ali turned and regarded her sister with shocked surprise. "Did you think I hadn't noticed?" She laughed. The derisive chuckle grazed Ali's resolve ever so slightly. "You do not want us to become murderers of each other, yet you never stray far from me," she said as she walked over to her twin and gently caressed her face, searching her eyes for something. "What is your real motive?" she murmured thoughtfully._

_Ali took a step back, away from her sister's touch. "What I do or don't do is none of your concern!" she replied caustically as she turned and ran. She would not admit her true reasons for following Sai, nor could she bear to. Deep within her being, she desired that power the Legend spoke of. The thought of killing her own flesh and blood had often crossed through her mind and yet she could not bring herself to do it._

_However, there was one other reason she tailed her sister and secretly wished her death. It was true that Ali had been stalking Sayuri, but she was more interested in the spiky-haired demon who was traveling with her sibling and had been admiring him from afar. Countless times she had considered approaching him and introducing herself or starting a fight with him for the mere challenge it would have brought. But time and again she had talked her self out of it. Now that she knew Sai was aware of her presence, she decided to let it go. _

_Lost in her thoughts and not watching where she was going, she tumbled into someone. She growled softly and rubbed her head where she fell. When she looked up to see what she had tripped into, she cursed her luck. It was him._

_Hiei extended a hand to help her up. The look he gave her was cool and perplexed and when he spoke she understood. "Sai? What happened to your hair?"_

_Ali sighed in disappointment and quickly turned away from him. "I'm not Sayuri," she said curtly and ran off before he could detain her further with more questions she'd rather not answer. He could ask Sai if he really wanted to know. _Stupid,_ she thought._ That was so stupid! You are the biggest fool in the realm._ She ran through the Makai until she suddenly felt compelled to stop. She looked around and took in her surroundings, curious to know what had piqued her interest so that she would want to halt. Then everything faded to black._

_~END~_

Ali awoke with a start when she became aware of Hiei's absence next to her. She checked her watch to discover it was already eight o'clock. She quietly got out of bed and meandered into the kitchen where she was greeted by a pleasant surprise. Kuwabara was sitting at the table chatting with Yuki and Yusuke.

They became aware of her presence and Kuwabara jumped from his seat to hug her. "Ali!" he shouted, the enthusiasm in his tone not reciprocated in her groggy state. Instead she gently patted him, mildly bewildered and disoriented by the situation.

Yuki noticed her confusion and called Kuwabara off until Ali was more awake. Once she'd had her coffee she was considerably more receptive and chatted openly with her friends. "So what brings you to my peaceful home?" she asked of the redhead.

"Well truthfully," he began, "I was going to come with Yusuke and Keiko a few days ago. But I got held up at Genkai's. When I got the news of what happened the other day I just had to check on you myself and make sure everything was ok." She did not miss the concern in his voice and could not help but smile.

"That was very kind of you," she said and kissed his cheek affectionately. "Everything is fine." She looked to Yuki and telepathically inquired if they had told him about Mitsuru.

_He knew,_ was Yuki's reply. _Perhaps Koenma told him, but I think he's hesitant to ask about it._ Ali nodded and sipped her coffee. She'd rather not have to talk about it if she could avoid it, and she was in luck because Kuwabara did not want to bring it up. She was pleased enough to chat about other things and catch up. She hadn't seen much of him since he had gone to train with Genkai and had not seen him since that briefing with Koenma where they first learned of Hitokiri's return.

After a while she gave him a tour of her sanctuary. When he went back to the house, she decided to swim for a while. The water had always soothed her and it did not fail her this day either. When she got out of the cool water, she lay on the grassy bank in the sun to dry, warm up, and think. She hadn't planned on falling asleep, but did not fight it as slumber slowly crept over her in the relaxing warmth of the sun. Once again, she dreamt of a memory she'd long forgotten.

_~DREAM/FLASHBACK SEQUENCE~_

_When she came to, she was in another location. She had no idea how long she had been out or how she had been transported there but those questions could wait. Instinct kicked in and she immediately assessed her situation. She did not appear to be harmed in any way although her clothes were torn and stained in several places, reminiscent of a battle perhaps, a battle she had clearly won. Looking around she noticed the freshly broken branches of trees that had been unfortunate enough to be in the demon's path. _Did I do that?_ she wondered._

_Cautiously, she moved toward the trail. A faint scent tickled her nose and aroused her battle senses. Blood, still warm from the victim or victims of whatever demon had happened to wander through the area. She sprinted to the source, hoping to find some answers to what was going on with her. The scene that greeted her, however, was much more horrific than she was prepared for._

_A small pack had been slain. Her people. Wolf demons. Her hand flew to her mouth as she lurched, her gag reflex overpowering her will. There were at least seven of them, including two young pups. _What kind of monster…_ she couldn't think. The gruesome scene was far too much for her to absorb and she ran away from it, continuing along the trail._

_Three more groups had been slaughtered. She howled in fury, in grief. When she made her way back to familiar ground, she fled to her sanctuary. She ran to her lake and splashed the cool water on her face, but stopped when her reflection caught her eye. She waited for the water to be still again. When it had ceased its rippling she focused on her mirror image dancing in the pool. There was blood on her face, dripping where she had begun to clean herself._

_She quickly sat back, terrified to gaze any longer, lest her reflection leap out of the water and kill her too. She glanced at her sword, which lay in its sheath in the grass beside her. Slowly, she reached for it and drew it._

_~END~_

Ali screamed in horror as she awakened from her nightmare. She didn't need to see the end of the dream to know that her sword would be stained with blood. When she looked around and saw she was in almost the exact same location as she had just been in her dream she shuddered in fear and pulled her knees tightly to her chest. The sky had darkened over and began pouring rain down on her as tears began streaming down her face.

* * *

Keiko looked out the front window of Ali's cabin and noticed the rain starting to dump from the angry sky above. Ali had still not come back from her walk, even though Kuwabara had returned early in the afternoon. The guys were sitting around the table playing cards while Botan prepared dinner. Since they had moved in, they rotated cooking schedules, although most nights they all pitched in. Hiei walked in and quickly assessed the room. He did not overlook the absence of their wolf woman. "Where's Ali?"

The boys were too into their game to pay attention to him but Keiko responded for them. "She went out a few hours ago to show Kuwabara around, but he came back a while ago and said she wanted to stay out a while longer. She still hasn't come back."

He walked over and looked out the window with her at the rain that was pouring down in sheets. "I'd better go and get her," he said. Keiko nodded and watched, smiling, as he ran out and vanished in the rain.

After he was gone from view, her smile turned into a frown and then to a scowl as she stormed over and cuffed Yusuke upside the head. "Ow! What the hell was that for?" he protested.

"You're such a jerk, Yusuke!" she hollered. "You won't even hold an umbrella for me!" She marched back to their room and slammed the door.

"But it's not raining inside," he stammered and blinked, bewildered. His friends shrugged, equally confused by her bizarre outburst.

When Hiei found Ali, she was sitting atop a boulder that rested at the base of the waterfall. She was hugging her knees to her chest, with her chin resting on them. She was drenched with the downpour, her hair stringy and hanging around her face. He could sense something was very wrong and he hurried over to her. Before he could inquire, she had flung herself at his neck. It took him by surprise, as it normally did when she succumbed to these sorts of outbursts, but he embraced her and supported her in his arms as she cried into his shoulder. She was trembling, in part due to the cold rain that had soaked her to the skin, but mostly to the violent sobs that wracked her being.

He hated when she cried, especially when he had no clue as to what was causing her grief. He assumed it must have had something to do with Mitsuru, but he couldn't be sure. He didn't want to question her in her emotional state because he was never sure of how she would react. But then he didn't need to because her voice broke through the sobs that shook her. "I couldn't protect them from him," she cried, answering his unspoken question. "I killed them. It's all my fault. And my poor baby…"

Hiei could feel her temperature rising. "You're burning up," he said as he picked her up in his arms. He carried her home and laid her in her bed. It always worried him when she had a fever. She said the strangest things and he could only assume her fears were temperature-related hallucinations. Nevertheless, her words had had their effect on him. _Who else does she think she killed?_ He couldn't help the feeling of dread that was slowly eating away at him in the back of his mind as he pondered over these things and kept watch over her.

_A/N: And now we get back into the plot as Ali's memories start to resurface! I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was fun to write some segments, such as the first dream sequence and the scene with Keiko. The second dream was not what I had originally written. When I reached this point in my notebook I'd had no idea where the story was going but had a couple ideas. After going back through probably a year and a half ago, after figuring out the rest of the story, I had decided to scrap this entire chapter and write a completely new one. Turns out the only thing I scratched was the original second sequence and everything else still fit! So now we can move on and continue the story. The next couple chapters get a bit intense with a bit of action thrown in for funzies. Then another fun filler chapter that I look forward to typing up. So that's what's coming up. Look forward to next time, Chapter 7: Unlocked Secrets. Until then!_


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